Tobacco-curer



(No Model.)

J. O. MILLNER.

TOBACCO GURER. No. 268,707. Patented Deo. 5,1882.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JACKSON 0; \IILLNER, OF DANVILLE, VIRGINIA.

TOBACCO-CURER.

SPECTFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,707, dated December 5, 1882.

' Application filed August 11, 1882. (No model.)

' it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for curing tobacco; and it consists in the means hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The desired points to be obtainedin the art of curing tobacco are uniformity in the degree towhich a quantity of tobacco is cured and uniformity in the color-that is, in any lot,

crop, or quantity oftobacco, taken as a Whole it is desirable that all the separate portions of the same, even to the single leaves, shall be uniformly seasoned or cured, and said portions shall be of a uniform color, and the latter quality (the shade) is a matter that should, as far as practicable, be under the control of the enabled to attain in the resulting product that uniformity of texture or seasoning and that unilormity and shade of color which render the product desirable and valuable, and this:

without injury to the tobacco.

In practicing my method I first subject the tobacco to the action of dry and moist heat separately but simultaneously applied; and if the tobacco ripens with a green color, I then add a third agent-the direct product of com- 50 bustiou in the form of smoke. This treat- In the accompanying drawings I- have illustrated means for practicing my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of said means.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the tig ures.

A A represent fire-boxes, stoves, or fornaces adapted to burn fuel, and they maybe constructed of sheet-iron, masonry, or any other desirable material, and they may he placed in or permanently built as a part of a house or tobacco shed wherein tobaccois stored in the usual well-known manner for curing.

The fire-boxes are arranged in this instance in the front of the store-room or shed, and are connected to a smoke-stack or chimney, B, by a series of communicating heating-lines and drums, as follows:

The side fines, a a-one fi om each fireboxare connected to or with two heating-drums, a, located at the rear of the room, and these are connected by the rear cross-fines, a a, to aceniral cut-01f, O, to which is connected, by a central flue, c of double the capacity of each of the side fines, a central collector and steamgenerator, D d, surmounted by a revoluble distributer, E e 0. Each of the drums a. are provided with doors. which may be opened to permit theescape of heat therelrom, if destred. In the front and rear collars of the cut-off are dampers c c, with crank-arms disposed in a common plane with the damper, to which each is secured, and said arms are connected by a link, 0 so that by operating the arm of the front damper to close the same the rear damper is opened, and by a reversal .in the movement of the said arm the front damper is opened and the rear damper is closed. The cut-off is provided with a central transverse partition, 0

The steam-generator consists of a tank, 01, and reservoir D; or, if preferred, in a temporary use of the portable portions of the apparatus a pit may be dug in the floor or ground of the house or shed and water placed therein.

The reservoir is perforated at or near its lower open end, and consists otherwise of a cylinder of metal surmounted by a perforated cap having a collar projecting upwardly therefrom. The distributer consists of a cylinder, the bottom of which is perforated to loosely fit the collar of the reservoir and rest upon the top of the same, so as to be capable of revolving about said collar, and the top of which is closed, as shown. Hollow arms or flues e e, of which there may be two or more, communicate with and connect the distributer to cross arms or flues e e, which are perforated, as shown, like perforations being made in the tines e 6.

This being the construction, the'operation is as follows: Sufficient water being in the tank to cover the perforations in the reservoir, the fires are started in the furnaces or fire-boxes, and the front damper being closed, the products of combustion are guided through and by the side and rear flues and cut off into thesmoke-stack until the smoke has ceased to flow therefrom in more than the usual quantity from a live or bright fire, when the dampers are reversed inposition, and a portion of the heat, now substantially free from smoke, is thrown off from the drums and flues by radiation, and the remainder or main portion thereof is conducted to the reservoir, and that which comes in contact with the water therein produces steam, which rises from the tank, while the heat, which flows directly to the arms 0 e rises therefrom in the air above and permeates the leaves of the tobacco stored above, and the steam accompanies the heat and moistens the tobacco. usually the case,that the tobaccois during this process of curing retaining its natural green color, or that parts thereofare of varyin g colors,

the fires are fed with fresh fuel, and an increased quantity of smoke is produced and conducted directly to the reservoir, and thence through the distributer, and, mingled with the dry heat and steam, rises to the tobacco and effectually reduces the color of the same toa uniform shade. When this is accomplished the reservoir'is removed fronl the tank or pit. Smokeless dry heat is distributed until the entire stock isthoroughly dried, and in this stage and all others the armsand body of the distributer are or may Now, if it should appear, as is particular portion ofthe stock, as circumstances may require.

The entire apparatus is simple, portable, and cheap, so that every grower is enabled to properly and profitably cure his-own crop, and the same can be used in curing or seasoning fruit, lumber, and other substances, as is readily apparent.

If desired, the arms of the distributer may he of unequal length, as shown, or of equal length, and each arm may be mounted independently upon the reservoir, and thus each may be revolved independently of the other.

Having described my invention,what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,- 1s

1. The combination, as and for the purpose set forth, of two separate furnaces, a cut-off provided with a central transverse partition, a front valve and a rear valve, a smoke-stack, and a central distributer, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a tobacco-drier, the combination of a steam-generator connecting with the furnaces by means of heaters, substantially such as herein described, with a horizontally-revoluble distributer, whereby dry heat, smoke, or steam, separately or together, can be conducted to different portions of the drier.

3. In a tobacco-drier, a revoluble perforated distributer of dry heat, steam, and smoke, in combination with a steam-generator, two or more furnaces and heaters which connect said generator with the furnaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the rear flues, a a, and the cut-off 0, provided with central transverse partition, c, and with collars having dampers 0 c, with the link a, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the perforated steamreservoir D, the tank 01, the rcvoluble distributer E, and armsee, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACKSON 0. MILLNER. 

